Inside Asian Gaming

China’s Individual Visitor Scheme Source: CLSA Asia-Pacific Markets has announced detailed plans for convention business in Macau, with 1.2 million sq. ft of convention and meeting space at the Vene- tian, this is by no means the limit if the model works well in Macau. LVS has announced plans to build extensive convention facilities on neighbouring Hengqin Island inmainland China (located adjacent to the Cotai strip across a narrow stretch of water), and other operators are set to open facilities of their own even before Hengqin is developed. Being a large export economy, China has a good appetite for trade shows and convention business. Macau’s geographical location, entertainment and gaming com- ponents will make it one of the top choic- es in China for hosting events. Other than trade shows and conventions, Macau also has great appeal as a place to hold meetings and incentive trips because of its upcoming amenities and offerings, albeit still under development at the moment. Las Vegas brought in sixmillion delegates in 2006; if Macau is able to eventually attract three million, with an average stay of three nights, nine million visitor-nights demand will be created, out of the 13 million visitor- night capacity from the 36,000 rooms that will be available over the next few years No other place can challenge Macau on gaming—six renowned local and interna- tional casino operators showcasing their best in more than 10 world class properties. Entertainment and shopping are building up. More than 70% of visitors to Las Vegas attended some entertainment events, and 7